A vital part of the public library’s
mission is ensuring support for lifelong learning among the individual members
of our community. PCCLD’s education
basis is important. This has never been
clearer than now. In the past year, we further
emphasized our commitment to help our local public schools via ConnectED, an initiative which better guarantees
local K-12 students have convenient access to the resources of the public
library (for more information on this important project, see www.pueblolibrary.org/connected). PCCLD’s role in this regard also extends to
higher education. This is important. Studies show greater levels of formal
education attainment correlate to positive outcomes for long-term economic and
social success for individuals and the broader prosperity of communities.
College
takes lots of effort to complete and can be expensive. There are many benefits to college education
justifying both of these. College
graduates earn more money on average during their working lives than people
with high school diplomas. The U.S.
Census Bureau reports that people with bachelor’s degrees earn about one
million dollars more over the course of their individual careers than do those whose
formal education stops with high school.
Individuals with more advanced college degrees beyond baccalaureate enjoy
even better wage outcomes. Attending
college should be viewed as an investment that pays off later in life.
The
economic benefit is one good reason to earn a college degree. There are others. College graduates experience
significantly lower rates of unemployment and poverty than high school
graduates, and they are generally healthier, boast increased awareness of social
issues, realize greater success in switching jobs and relocating based on
lifestyle preferences, and have more time for recreational activities and
hobbies. College graduates also generally
realize broader knowledge of world history, geography, and culture plus improvement
in critical thinking skills relevant and useful throughout a lifetime.
Research
shows overall education levels parallel a community’s welfare. The upside
includes greater tax receipts for the common good, more participation in
important public policy matters, and higher levels of employment with better
paying jobs. College-educated parents
are more likely to raise children who obtain a
college degree as well. Research
indicates college graduates enjoy healthier lifestyles and the children of
college graduates often receive a better start in life as they are aware from
an early age about the importance of good nutrition and exercise. This in turn
improves the general quality of life and life expectancy rates for college
graduates and their entire families.
PCCLD
seeks to contribute to local higher education efforts. Our librarians are prepared to assist in numerous
ways, whether it is helping individuals select just the right college or major
field of study, looking for college financial aid, or plain old studying and
preparing for course projects and exams. We also provide special research resources to
assist with all of this and more. We
know this makes a positive difference both for individuals and for society at
large.
In
order to further improve upon this, PCCLD recently created formal relationships
both with Colorado State University-Pueblo and Pueblo Community College in
order to better assist their respective campuses with access to the public
library. Now you will see in the
academic libraries on both campuses PCCLD services available to complement the
learning experiences there. We call
these projects Library @ the U and Library @ PCC, respectively.
Our
community is a wonderful place to live, work, and raise a family. PCCLD’s mission is more fully accomplished
through its support for our local K-12 schools, colleges, and
universities.
